Chapter 128 Seizing the Dead
Quinley and David's wedding never happened, so technically, she wasn't part of the Brown family. Which meant when she died, her ashes couldn't be interred in the Brown family cemetery.
Her funeral was simple, held at a small funeral home.
When Zachary arrived, the place was eerily quiet. Colin sat slumped in his wheelchair, eyes vacant as they stared at the black-and-white portrait. Marlee was bent over, sobbing loudly.
"Mrs. Elikin, my condolences." Lucas accompanied Zachary inside. Marlee looked up at them, lips trembling, tears streaming down her face.
"My daughter is dead. What are you doing here?"
She clearly didn't want to see Zachary.
"She's not dead," Zachary said with absolute certainty.
She was so strong, so full of life. How could she just be gone?
But Marlee wasn't listening. Lucas pressed a thick envelope into her hands.
"Mrs. Elikin, please take care of yourself. Ms. Elikin wouldn't want to see you this heartbroken."
Marlee nodded numbly, clutching the envelope to her chest.
Zachary stood there for a moment. The photo showed Quinley with a brilliant smile, but something about it felt off. Unfamiliar.
"Mr. Jennings, we should go," Lucas said quietly.
Zachary turned to leave. Just as he reached the door, he ran straight into David—eyes bloodshot, fury radiating off him as he charged forward.
"What are you doing here? Haven't you hurt Quinny enough? She's dead, and you still won't leave her alone?"
He grabbed Zachary by the collar like a man possessed, snarling in his face.
"Mr. Brown, please accept our condolences." Lucas stepped in, pulling David away.
A cold smile twisted David's lips as he moved closer to Zachary again. "Let me tell you something—even dead, she's mine. You'll never have her now, Zachary. This time, you lost to me. Completely."
He laughed like someone unhinged, triumphant and deranged.
Ice formed in Zachary's eyes. His fist shot out, connecting hard with David's face.
"Mr. Jennings, what are you doing?" Marlee appeared with the Elikin sisters, rushing to break up the fight when she saw Zachary attacking David.
"Mom, don't stop him. Let him hit me. Go ahead—kill me if you can!" David sat crooked on the floor, blood on his face, still goading Zachary.
"Ugh, you men are so pathetic. Fighting over someone alive, fighting over someone dead—how tacky can you get?" Lisa rolled her eyes dramatically.
Helen tugged her sleeve, then approached Zachary. "Mr. Jennings, I'm so sorry. My brother's grief has made him irrational. If he offended you, I apologize on behalf of the Brown family."
"Apologize? He doesn't deserve it," David spat on the ground.
"Mr. Jennings, let's go." Lucas grabbed Zachary's arm firmly.
As they left, David's smugness only grew.
"David, stop it. I know you're grieving, but the dead can't come back. We came here today to discuss something important. Don't lose your composure," Sophia whispered in his ear.
She and Helen hauled David to his feet, and the group headed inside.
Lisa rolled her eyes again. "I don't get it. She never even married into the family. Why are we bending over backwards to get her into the Brown cemetery?"
David whipped around, pointing at her viciously. "Shut up. This has nothing to do with you."
When the Browns came to pay their respects, Marlee broke down crying again.
"Mr. Brown, Quinny just didn't have the luck," Marlee said, gripping David's hand.
Sophia's eyes reddened too. "We all really liked Quinny. We never imagined something like this would happen. Even though she's gone, we don't want her to have left for nothing."
There was subtext in Sophia's words, though she didn't spell it out. Helen, arm linked with Sophia's, continued, "Mrs. Elikin, Quinny and my brother were engaged, so we'd like her ashes to be interred in the Brown family cemetery."
Marlee paused briefly, then nodded without hesitation. "Yes, that would be best. Then Quinny won't be alone."
"Who cares if she's alone?" Lisa muttered, though everyone heard her.
"Lisa, get out," Sophia snapped.
"Fine by me. I didn't want to be in this creepy place anyway." She turned and stormed out.
"Mom, I'll keep an eye on Lisa." Helen followed her out.
"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Elikin. My daughter has no sense. I haven't raised her properly. Please don't take it to heart." Sophia pulled out a card and pressed it into Marlee's hand. "This is a small token from us. Please accept it."
"Oh, I couldn't—"
Marlee made a show of refusing, but in the end, she took it.
That evening, Dennis came home.
"Mom, my sister's dead and you're just gonna let the Browns have everything?"
Dennis had dropped out of school and was living with Lucy in the Elikin family's old house.
"They said they'd let your sister into the Brown cemetery. And they gave us money." Marlee quietly slipped the card to Dennis. "Denny, your sister paid for this with her life. Spend it carefully."
Dennis pocketed the card immediately. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I just haven't found a job yet. Once I do, I'll make serious money. Then I'll get you and Dad a huge mansion and we'll all live together."
He hadn't entered the real world yet—his head was full of impossible dreams. But Marlee ate it up, nodding eagerly.
"I always knew you'd do great things. You're my only child now, Denny. Please, don't let anything happen to you."
Dennis hated when she worried needlessly. "Alright, I'm heading out."
At Maple Estate, Zachary locked himself in the study.
He'd obtained all the surveillance footage from Quinley's wedding day and had been staring at the computer screen, watching it over and over—at least five times already.
9:38 AM—she left the hotel and got into the wedding car.
The car traveled along Rosewood City's main road without incident.
10:03 AM—the car stopped at the East Street intersection for one minute.
Then continued along the planned route.
10:39 AM—the brakes failed. The car suddenly crashed through the railing of Happiness Bridge and plunged into the water.
10:52 AM—rescue teams arrived. The occupants were pulled from the car.
Zachary dragged the mouse slowly, watching frame by frame. He didn't want to miss a single detail.
He stared at the footage. Lucas stared at him.
"Mr. Jennings, please stop. Ms. Elikin is gone." Lucas's voice cracked. He couldn't bear to see Zachary like this.
But Zachary refused to accept it.
"She's not dead."